Second Chances
by Lady Arreya
Summary: Everyone deserves a second chance... but some make better use of it than others. Takes place right after the episode "Ken 10," but AU. Sequel to my story, "Choices." Ben 10,000 x Gwendolyn.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Second Chances  
Rating: T  
Summary: Everyone deserves a second chance… but some make better use of it than others. Takes place right after the episode "Ken 10," but AU. Ben 10,000 x Gwendolyn.

A/N: Inspired by the episode "Ken 10."

This story will make more sense if you read my story, "Choices" first. It also takes place at the same time as my story, "Fathers and Sons." Originally it was all just one story, but I decided to separate it into two stories focusing on different themes.

* * *

Devlin looked around the room in awe. The den was comfortably furnished with overstuffed sofas, an armchair, pillows, floor cushions and even a beanbag in the corner. On the shelves above, there were trophies, medals and awards everywhere. They didn't seem to be in any particular order but were arranged in an artistic fashion. Devlin couldn't help but be impressed. Kenny's mom had several ribbons and trophies in gymnastics, karate and dance. A framed certificate proclaimed her as valedictorian of her high school, while some others showed that she had won the science fair multiple times. Kenny's dad had soccer trophies, hoverboarding awards and countless medals for saving the universe, of course.

There were also pictures all over the walls, and it seemed like the entire wall opposite from the door was dedicated to the summer when Ben 10K had found the Omnitrix.

Devlin stopped to stare at a picture of Kenny's mom and dad, taken when they were 10 years old. "Why is your dad wearing antlers?"

"Beats me," said Kenny, who had flopped into the armchair. His little sister Xenia was perched on a nearby sofa.

"And what's a jackalope?" he asked, moving on to the next picture.

"It's a jackrabbit with the antlers of an antelope," Xenia said in a superior tone. "That's why Daddy's wearing antlers. He got them at the souvenir shop."

Devlin gave Kenny a bewildered look.

Kenny shrugged. "Mom and Dad went to some really weird places with Great-Grandpa Max when they were kids."

"No kidding." The next picture featured the "Sideways Motel," with them standing… sideways. He tilted his head to examine it more closely.

There were pictures of Kenny's parents together at all ages, and on the other walls, more recent family photos that included Kenny and Xenia.

"Did your mom and dad go to Prom together?" Devlin asked suddenly, pointing to portrait of them in formalwear. They looked about 17.

"Not really. Mom went with Eddie Grand Smith – "

"Edwin Grand Smith, the billionaire?" Devlin interrupted.

"Yeah. Mom and Dad are good friends with him," Kenny told him.

"He designed Fort DNA-X," Xenia added.

"Your mom dated Edwin Grand Smith but decided to marry your dad instead?" Devlin was incredulous.

"What's wrong with my dad?" Kenny said defensively. "My dad is the greatest hero ever! Mom thinks so too!"

"I can't believe your mom dated Edwin Grand Smith. He isn't just rich; he's also a genius!"

"And really good-looking!" Xenia threw in.

Kenny snorted. "Mom didn't really date him. They were just friends. Mom says she was always crazy about Dad."

"Uh-huh." Devlin wasn't convinced, but he let it go. "So why do your mom and dad have a prom picture if they didn't go together?"

"I was trying to explain, before you interrupted." Kenny gave him a good glare, but Devlin didn't look at all apologetic. "Mom went with Eddie," he continued, "and Dad went with one of Mom's friends."

"Who really liked Eddie," Xenia giggled.

"Oh." Devlin decided he'd better changed the subject because Kenny was looking peeved.

The next thing that caught his eye looked like the front cover of a newspaper – a tabloid, really – matted and framed. It depicted Kenny's mom and dad wearing sunglasses, holding hands and walking down the street, surrounded by photographers. The caption screamed, "Gwen's Baby Bump?"

"Mom and Dad were being hounded by the paparazzi for a while when they were first together," Kenny said by way of explanation.

"Was she really pregnant?"

"Nah. You know how the tabloids are."

"Why did they frame it?"

"They thought it was funny."

"Mommy didn't think it was so funny," Xenia reminded him. "Remember? She said that when the tabloids printed stories like that, Grandma Lily and Grandma Sandra would always call her to ask, 'Are you pregnant? I saw it on the cover of "Star!"'"

"Dad thought it was funny then," Kenny amended. "Mom thinks it's funny now."

Devlin moved on to the next wall, which featured birthday and holiday celebrations. In the center was a large frame with a collage of pictures from birthdays, from the day they were actually born, to the most recent celebration.

"Mommy and Daddy have the exact same birthday, so they always celebrate together," Xenia said.

Kenny got out of his chair, and gestured for them to move further down the wall. "And here are the pictures from my birthday party!" he said proudly.

He had just turned 10 a few days ago, and his dad had already hung up the pictures.

Devlin suddenly felt very sad. He had no pictures of his family. No baby pictures. He'd never had a birthday party and wasn't even entirely sure when his birthday was.

All he'd ever wanted was to have a family.

And now that the Tennysons had taken him in, he had his greatest wish.

But…

He worried he wouldn't fit in, and that he would never truly be part of their family.

(To be continued in Chapter 2…)


	2. Chapter 2

Devlin had never met Kenny's mom before, but Kenny had been talking about her and showing him pictures and holovids non-stop for days. Obviously Kenny had missed her a lot.

Gwendolyn Tennyson looked like a slender, petite woman, but Devlin knew she could seriously kick butt. He'd seen her fighting criminals alongside Kenny's dad. They'd been a team since they were 10 years old and worked together seamlessly. Kenny had even very solemnly claimed that his parents could read each other's minds, but Devlin was skeptical.

Nonetheless, he was feeling even more intimidated about meeting her than he had felt about meeting Kenny's dad. What would she think of him? Would she accept him?

Devlin was used to being rejected by people. He was a freak, after all.

At least his powers had helped keep him alive so far. It was miserable out in the real world for a kid all alone. He was used to being constantly on guard and looking out for himself so he wouldn't get hurt. Or killed.

Kenny had no idea what it was like. He'd been sheltered all his life by his parents and took it for granted that they would take care of him no matter what.

But that was how it was supposed to be. No kid should have to be exposed to the real world like Devlin had.

For most of his life, he'd had to fend for himself out on the streets. Trusting no one, never knowing where his next meal would come from or where he'd sleep that night. Or if he'd even sleep that night.

Every day was a fight for survival. He'd had to grow up too fast.

Kenny thought it was so cool to be a tough guy, but Devlin was sure that after a few hours of being out on his own he'd come running home.

Devlin would much rather be like any other kid – protected and loved by his family. He'd had that for a little while. After his mother had died, his grandma had taken him in. He'd been happy there. But after a while, his powers had shown up, and his step-grandpa had kicked him out. Just like he'd kicked his dad out when he'd been his age.

His grandma hadn't wanted him to leave, but she'd never disobey her husband. She was too afraid of him.

Devlin had learned to take care of himself, but he never gave up hope that he'd have a family. That was why he'd gone looking for his dad. He'd wanted to believe that his dad would want him. He'd thought he'd be the father he'd always dreamed of having.

But he'd only been deluding himself. His dad didn't care about anyone except himself. He deserved to be locked up in the Null Void.

Devlin hoped that Kenny's mom wouldn't judge him too harshly for being Kevin Levin's son. He didn't think he could bear it if the Tennysons sent him away. He didn't want to go back to living on the streets.

He'd lingered upstairs, not wanting to interrupt their family reunion, but he knew he couldn't avoid it forever.

It was best to get it over with. He squared his shoulders and headed down.

He paused in the doorway before they noticed him. Sadness threatened to overwhelm him. The Tennysons looked so happy together. Ben and Gwen sat side by side on the couch. Xenia was sitting in her mother's lap, chattering excitedly, while Kenny was snuggled up against his mother's side. They were a real family. A normal family. Well, maybe not normal, exactly, but happy nonetheless.

He'd never had that before. He felt like an interloper.

Ben looked up and saw him.

"Devlin! We were wondering where you were."

Kenny jumped off the couch, ran over to him and grabbed his arm.

"Come meet my mom, Devlin! She just got back from Zoraster, and she got to fight a red dragon!"

Devlin stared at her, feeling very awkward as she stood up and walked over to him. She was very beautiful. Not in a conventional way, but she had an almost ethereal quality. Perhaps it was due to her Anodyte heritage. She looked younger than Kenny's dad, even though he knew from what Xenia had said that they were the same age and even had the same birthday.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Tennyson," Devlin managed to say.

"Please, call me Gwendolyn," she said warmly. "I'm so glad to finally meet you. Kenny's told me so much about you."

Her sincerity made him feel more at ease. He noticed that she had the same striking green eyes as Ben, Kenny and Xenia. Her eyes were filled with compassion and understanding, and also sadness for him. But not pity. He was glad for that. He didn't want her to feel sorry for him.

"Welcome to our family, Devlin."

At that moment, he felt like he was truly a part of their family. Somehow hearing her say it, with such warmth and acceptance, made it real for him.

Devlin felt immensely relieved. He had a real home now.

(To be continued in Chapter 3…)


	3. Chapter 3

Her heart went out to him. Devlin was rail-thin. He looked like a scrawny, beaten-down street urchin, completely neglected by the adults who should have been taking care of him. Where was his family? His mother?

He was so unlike her Kenny. But Kenny had latched onto him. He had sensed that Devlin desperately needed a home. Her son had a good heart. He was naïve and impulsive, but that was how he was supposed to be at his age. She hoped he'd remain that way for at least a little longer. She didn't want him to become jaded like his father had. It had taken Ben a long time to recover from that. It was only with her help that he had regained perspective and hope.

Kenny was just like his father. Brash, impetuous, confident to the point of arrogance, wanting so much to prove himself as a hero. But he was also loving, noble and courageous. Her little boy had the heart of a true hero.

She loved them both so much, and now this new little boy… He needed her love too.

He was only a child, she saw. A young boy not much older than her own beloved son. He was not a freak or a criminal. Just a vulnerable child trying to make his way in the world, made harder by not having a family to protect him.

They had accepted Devlin into their family, but she knew it wasn't going to be easy. He looked so much like Kevin, it was disturbing. It hurt to be reminded of all that had happened between her and Ben and Kevin.

Kevin had been obsessed with both of them. First Ben, then her.

All those years ago, she had loved him with starry-eyed wonder, the way only a teenage girl could… but that could only last for so long.

Kevin was so insecure, so jealous and possessive… He hadn't wanted to share her with anyone. Not even Ben.

He'd demanded that she choose him over Ben, that she leave with him.

And she had, but she'd soon realized it was the wrong choice.

How could she choose anyone over Ben? He needed her too much. More than anyone else ever could.

She'd loved them both, young as she was, and it had torn her apart. But she had finally realized that she couldn't give Ben up. When it came down to it, when she'd been forced to choose…

She'd chosen Ben.

She hadn't wanted to choose, but Kevin had forced her hand.

And that was what it came down to. She would always choose Ben.

At that time, she'd merely been his cousin, his best friend, his sidekick…

She was still all of those things, but now… She was also his wife and the mother of his children. They'd realized how much they needed each other.

They were meant to be together.

Kevin would never understand. He had never forgiven her, or Ben. He felt that her love had been stolen from him. He didn't really understand how love worked. He'd tried to use power and force to make her love him. He was so used to manipulating people that he didn't know any other way of getting what he wanted.

He couldn't comprehend the complexities of love, and that you didn't get to choose who you fell in love with you. Or who fell in love with you.

She'd tried her best to help him, but he'd proved to be too unstable to be helped by even her steadying influence.

He was not like Ben, who valued her opinion and always listened to her.

They were so different. It had become so clear to her at that moment…

Ben would never ask her to choose. He loved her too much to do that. His love for her was unselfish, unconditional and pure. Just as hers was for him.

(To be continued in Chapter 4...)


End file.
